Morning Glen, I would be tempted to go the P&amp;S route - actually I have gone that route, and it works very well. There are times that a dSLR body/lens just does not fit (no matter the focal length range), and a small P&amp;S is just perfect. Originally I had a Canon SD500, which is the size of a deck of playing cards - goes into any pocket and is pretty perfect. My son borrowed it, so just recently - so I picked up a Panasonic LX3 - a bit larger, not really shirt pocketable, but fits into a jacket pocket. The Canon has a pretty all around focal range, however the LX3 is wide angle - tops out at 60mm (and is f2), but that is where my interest lies. Targets my interests, larger sensor/less noise, smaller package, a much faster lens - with all the manual controls.

... just my point of view. I also think that the 10-17 would be perfect!

Even though, like Harriet, I almost instinctively would go for the 18-250 on a DSLR over a P&amp;S anytime, I am seriously leaning toward something like an FZ28 for this kind of application. Of course, it is a compromise - although so is the 18-250.

At the endof the day, I think issues related to size and weight trump ultimate potential image quality - again, in this particular kind of application. And I hadn't even considered Harriet's point about possible restrictions with the DSLR and a big lens.

I also think a megazoom P&amp;S would be a better option for a four-seat motorboat - withfour people aboard.

And the fact that I'm going to be shooting almost always in good light makes the small sensor of a camera like the FZ28 less of a problem.

The 18-250 might still be a fun option for the future... but perhaps after I pick up a very fast normal prime. But, by then, maybe that 18-20 will be an 18-270, like the new Tamron-branded lens.

I still use my Kodak DX6490 for just the type of circumstances you are talking about. Do I get the same image quality as I would with a DSLR? No not really but you don't miss many photo ops this way either. The way I'd do it...I repeat...the way I'd do it is take my K10D with the Bigma 50-500 mounted for the long shots and the DX for the quick closeups. With the DX so light the weight difference is negligible.

I recently bought a Panasonic FZ-28 for many of the reasons already outlined in this thread and for use as a backup. It's also the camera I keep in the car when I don't want to carry around the DSLR. IQ is excellent, and I was very surprised how much my wife and I enjoyed using the movie function recently. Its an extremely capable little camera.

I have to admit the electronic view finder drives me crazy, but once you get used to the generally slower operation of the camera, it has its definite strengths.

dafiryde... I used to have an S3 IS. In bright light, you won't notice much difference at all, as long as the contrast doesn't get too high. If contrast does get very high, you'll notice things like blown highlights on pictures from the S5. But for non-critical shots, this probably won't be a problem.

In darker conditions, you'll probably see considerably more noise in pictures from the S5, because of its small sensor - at least above ISO 200. But the S5's lens is pretty fast - faster than the 18-250. The slow f/6.3 at the long end of the Pentax lens creates it's own challenges in low light - like slow focusing.

But as long as you understand the compromises with megazoom lenses like this - and megazoom point-and-shoot cameras - and aren't using them for ultra-critical shooting, both can be highly convenient and lots of fun. And, almost by default, you'll be using all that zoom in the great outdoors, where the light is good. That's why I'm considering both types of solutions.

Trojansoc... I wonder if the FZ28's replacement will have the fast, high resolution LCD and EVF from the G1? That would be fantastic! We can dream, can't we?

I have a cheap Pentax 28-80 f3.5-5.6 which I tried to sell on eBay when I got my Sigma 18-200 f3.5-6.3, because I thought I'd never use it again.

Luckily nobody bought the Pentax 28-80, 'cause later onI ended up playing with that lens in low-light conditions, as mentioned above, and my camera was able to auto-focus no problem. It was scary how fast it focuses. It was like having a completely different camera.

I'm so glad nobody bought the lens &amp; I had one more chance to really play with the lens to see what it could do.

dafiryde... I'm not you, so what I would do isn't necessarily what you should do. But, having said that, now that you own those two great, high-quality lenses, I would keep them. If you're interested in photgraphy enough to own a DSLR, chances are you'll want those lenses at some point in the future. Plus, you're likely to lose money when you sell them or trade them in.

That isn't to say you shouldn't get the 18-250. But since it costs something like half to two-thirdsthe price ofeach of the other lenses, I'd just add the 18-250 to my kit. If you don't have the money right now, it shouldn't take long to save up $400.

If only, i could get a lens from 16-135 , with the same quality as the 50-135

if only , there is some one out there that can assure me that the 18-250 will give me about 75% quality of the 16-50 &amp; 50-135

If only , i can get an assurance that i would get the same or better quality pics out of the 18-250 with a K20Das compared to the Canon S5IS

Some history back ground

looking back at my past pics i would admit that 75% of my pics are taken with the 16-50, but the quality of the 50-135 is out of this world, unfortunately, the 50-135 has issues , since alot of times, at 50 it is not wide enough, and i cant step back enough. This tends to get very fustrating at times, because of the Outstanding Quality of the 50-135 , i try my best to shoot with it mostly , but then i need wider so i now have to stop and change lens, and then , at least 99% of the times the shot i wanted is gone, then i start to :P

photography is suppose to be fun, i dont do it Professionally, its just a hobby i really do enjoy, and i dont print my pics, at least one out of a thousand will become a 11X14 and will go up in the hall of fame on a wall some where in my house